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Trolls
Trolls are mythological creatures that, according to legends, once roamed the continent of Antel and, possibly, other places. The creatures are remembered in the legends of several peoples; even though the details are obscured by time and countless layers of social, cultural and religious changes, some characteristics can nevertheless be deduced. Trolls in different cultures Quite possibly, the two cultures with the most extensive lore on trolls are the Dargad people and the Cāvarī people, despite the vast distances separating them. Dargadian Trolls Dargadian trolls, called pithael, ''are described as magical creatures created from mountains and earth. Their bodies are kept alive solely by the magic flowing through them. The Dargads recognise several types of ''pithael, based primarily on their preferred habitat and the material they are created from: * Uenéael - Mountain trolls - made from living granite or similar rocks, sometimes described to include ribbons of darker or lighter rocks and inclusions of gems. The Uenéaeleg are very talled, even up to 4 metres, and are bulky and slow. They live high in the mountains and are very territorial, vicious and aggressive. Mountain trolls are said to attack without provocation, to feed on human flesh and live solitary, long lives. * Béael - Marsh trolls - made from clay, dirt and peat, and are often described to include pieces of plant matter, dead or alive, in their bodies that can reach the height of 2.5 metres. The Béaeleg live in marshes, swamps and other wetlands, notably the Dargad Wetland. They often live in small packs or family units, often appear to be friendly to people at first sight. The Marsh trolls are known to offer help to travellers who have to cross wetlands by showing the shortest path out; however, they nearly always lead the unfortunate travelled deeper into the swamp, where they drown, die of hypothermia or are consumed by the troll's pack members. * Albael - Sea trolls - made from sandstone and marble, these trolls are arguably the friendliest of the trolls. Similar to the Uenéaeleg in their appearances, the Albaeleg are also very tall (2 - 4 metres), bulky and slow. The Albaeleg live on the coasts, preferring high cliffs and deep chasms. They often inhabit murky and well-concealed caves. Several legends relate to ships sinking and a few seamen being saved by an Albael, brought to their cave and nourished back to health. The Albaeled are solitary, shun people but occasionally help them, and have little interest to harm humans. However, if one stumbles upon the cave of an Albael, the Dargad legends provide quite a graphic idea of what happens to trespassers. * Maegael - Ice trolls '''- made from ice, snow and containing inclusions of rock, soil and various crystals, they inhabit the vary northern reaches of Damonth. The Maegaeleg are the smallest of the trolls, often ranging from 1 to 2 metres, rarely exceeding that. They live in deep snow, carve caves in glaciers and live in packs than can be as large as a 100 individuals. the Maegaeleg are very aggressive, actively hunt people and are very hard to kill. The various kinds of Dargad trolls frequently interact with heroes in Dargad folklore, and can be both helping characters and antagonists. All of the trolls are extremely long-lived, often described as being "older than the earth they walk upon", and child trolls are mentioned only in newer legends, that often downplay the aggressive and solitary nature of the Pithaeleg. Cāvarī Trolls Similarly to the Dargads, the Cāvarī classify trolls based on their original material. However, the Cāvarī differentiate only between two types - rock and wood. Another difference is that the Cāvarī believe the trolls to be actual living creatures, not just a mass of material animated by magic. * '''Rock trolls (or mountain trolls) live high up in the mountains and rarely venture to the lowlands. They are "twice the height of man", muscled and incredibly strong. They are described to live in caves alone or in groups of two to three, and often have intricate hierarchy among other trolls, though they seldom interact. The Rock troll is not interested in the affairs of men, often ignore them and rarely harm them. They are also said to be terrified of the sea and to refuse to cross flowing water, even if shallow. * Wood trolls (or forest trolls) live in deep forests both in the mountains and lower. They can reach the height of three metres, usually are comparatively slender and much alike trees; their bodies are wooden and they frequently are described to have branches with leaved, flowers and even fruit on them. Despite their serene appearances, the forest trolls are actually very dangerous - luring people deep into the woods before killing them and attacking without provocation on sight. Some legends suggest that the wood trolls have shape-shifting abilities or at least skills to create illusions, as they are sometimes told to first appear as beautiful women and handsome men. The Cāvarī trolls, just like the Dargad ones, are long-lived and usually old. They are territorial and insanely protective of the land that they feel is theirs. Similar creatures in Other Mythologies * The Coeric giants are often described to have bodies of rock, soil or wood. They can inhabit various habitats raging from low meadows to mountain peaks and deep underground caves. Their personalities vary from friendly to indifferent to hostile to humankind. However, it is important to note that the giants are not seen as forming one or several kinds of beings; they are rather seen as individual beings. Dŷrphell The Dŷrphell were a type of ancient automata, created by skilled mages to serve as labourers. These "creatures" were powered entirely by magic and thus are fairly close to the Dargad idea of the pithael. More info at the meta article.